By Mike Odeh James and Olika Ekani
(Kaduna) An unexplained arson attack on the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Kontagora, a city in the North Central Nigerian State of Niger, has left its congregation of earnest Pentecostals feeling bereft of allies and on the edge of despair, TruthNigeria has learned.
Clergy and congregants interviewed believe that Islamist extremists, acting on the directive of their leaders, on Saturday, 10th August, 2024, vandalized and burnt down the RCCG also known as Champion Zonal Headquarters, located along Federal College of Education Road Kontagora, Niger State.
Kontagora county is 196km (122 miles) North West of Minna, the capital of Niger State and has been experiencing religious intolerance and tension for several years.
Church Leaders Speak
Giving details of what transpired, the Chairman, Elder Council of the Church, Elder Aboje John said, the recent attack wasn’t the first of its kind.
“This is not the first time the church has been attacked by Muslim extremists. In 2006, there was a religious riot in Kontagora County, the church and other 12 churches were completely burned down by Muslim extremists,” Elder John told TruthNigeria.
“The church was rebuilt in 2007, and there was another attempt to burn it in the early period of 2013 by the same Muslim extremists, but it was miraculously saved by the Grace of God as the fuel placed did not ignite a fire,” Elder John said.
According to The Premium Times, unidentified arsonists church burned the church 10 years ago, after warning that its building should not be completed.
“We reported the case to the Niger State authorities, Police, and Kontagora Emirate Council (a Muslim governing body with jurisdiction over Kontagora), and they all promised to take action,” John said.
However, over time, the congregation was made aware that the Emirate Council leaned against the construction of the RCCG Church. “While we were trying to roof the church in 2014, a delegation along with some Police operatives were sent from the Kontagora Emirate Council, asking us to stop the work, and we eventually stopped the work”.
“Since then, we have not been allowed to carry out any work on the project,” John added.
“The woods got decayed 8 years after. We reconstructed the roof with Iron sheets and covered it with Trampoline, and we have been worshipping under it until the latest attack,” he added.
“The latest attack on the church began at about 4 am local time (5 GMT) Friday and raged on till 7 am (8 GMT) on Saturday. The Muslim extremists first vandalized all the music instruments, audio and TV sets and plastic chairs in the church before setting it ablaze,” John said.
“We swiftly reported the case to the Police, Department of the State Security Service (DSS), Kontagora Emirate Council, which is the county authority, the Niger State Government and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) — both in Konshisha and Minna,” John said.
“Because the Kontagora Emirate Council had previously told us that we should relocate our church from the current site, we asked the Emir (the Head of the Emirate Council) to show us the new location they want us to go, but we waited in vain as they refused to show us,” John told TruthNigeria. A few months later, the Emirate Council asked the congregation to write to the state Government to change its Certificate of Occupancy (CoO) from Residential to Church Building which it did, according to John.
Some months later, the church’s file was declared missing and then found months later hidden under a carpet. The congregational leaders began to suspect bad faith, they told TruthNigeria.
“We attempted to continue with the process but on reaching the new governor’s table, we were told to go back to Kontagora and begin the process all over again. This time around, a new clause was inserted that requires the mandatory signatures of 8 of our neighbours but surprisingly, all of our neighbors who were cooperating with us before refused to sign the document,” Elder Aboje said.
In a phone interview with TruthNigeria Correspondent, Pastor Samson Ogbebor, an assistant pastor of the church speculated that religious extremists burned the church, although he had no proof, because the fire was started in the early hours of the morning.
He called on Christians to remain calm, peaceful to trust God for intervention.
Similarly, Rev. Bulus Yohanna, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), condemned the latest attack on the church, describing it as barbaric and uncalled for.
“There is freedom of worship in Niger state like in all other states in Nigeria,” Johanna said to TruthNigeria, adding: “I am sure by the time the government and security agencies take action, it will go a long way to address any tension that may escalate beyond control,” Mr Yohanna said,
“We are hoping that the law will take its course. Issues like this must be tamed, and people who have done this should be fished out and made to face the law.”
The Governor Speaks
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a barbaric, cowardly act not only on the Christian community but also a direct insult to the peace and unity of Niger State.
“We condemn this act and tell our Christian brothers and sisters, as well as other Niger State inhabitants, that the government prioritises their safety, security, and freedom of religion. I call on the police and other security agencies to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” the governor said.
The Kontagora Emirate Council refused to speak to the press for days after the Church burning, and no arrest has been made by the police.
Mike Odeh James and Olikita Ekani are Conflict Reporters who write for Truthnigeria
